📎 Federal Resource Round-Up

“Organized, community care is how communities survive when governments betray them. Neighbors caring for neighbors, working standing shoulder to shoulder, youth and elders remaining justice together – this is the foundation of real safety.” This message from Local Progress Member and Chicago Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez reflects what LP members know intimately: as overlapping crises deepen – economic strain, food insecurity, federal violence – community care and local power remain our most reliable tools to keep each other safe.

This moment is extraordinarily difficult, and people feel that deeply. But across the country this month, communities responded with clarity, rejecting fear-driving politics and choosing an agenda that puts the needs of working families and our communities first. Across our network, we are excited to welcome new leaders stepping forward to fight for affordability and committed to building the local strategies this moment demands. 

Our goal for these round-ups is to help members connect with key, timely information and resources from Local Progress and partners, to help members focus on where local power can be effectively leveraged in this moment, and to continue learning from one another translocally and building collective power.

🤝When the Federal Government Abandons Working Families, Local Leaders Step Up 

The federal shutdown—the longest in history at 43 days—ended the night of November 12. SNAP recipients have begun receiving federal nutrition assistance benefits again, and the program is now funded through 2026.

But the Trump administration’s cruel games—choosing to cut off people’s food benefits in defiance of the law and federal courts for political leverage—caused deep uncertainty, suffering, and hunger for 42 million people. And more than 3 million people are anticipated to be kicked off of SNAP in the next few years due to the bill passed earlier this year. 

In response to these attacks on working people, local leaders stepped up.

• Atlanta, GA launched ATL CARES with food bank and public schools partners to protect residents during the lapse in SNAP benefits. Among other things, the emergency initiative halted water shut-offs for nonpayment and enacted a temporary moratorium on evictions for nonpayment in publicly subsidized units (including a ban on late fees and charges).
• Saginaw, MI City Council unanimously suspended water and sewage late fees and penalties for utility customers until one month after SNAP benefits resumed.
• Philadelphia, PA launched the One Philly SNAP Support Plan allocating $7 million, including $4 million in immediate food assistance with community-based partners.

🏠 Advancing Emergency Housing Protections After ICE Raids

In Los Angeles County, local officials are taking significant steps to protect residents from the cascading harms of ICE raids. On October 14, the Board voted to declare a state of emergency in response to federal raids, a necessary legal step that opens the door for an eviction moratorium. The declaration followed a September 10 Board presentation that prominently featured research from tenant unions and immigrant justice organizations about the impact of ICE operations and the urgency for local protections that prevent families from being pushed into homelessness.

Because raids have left many residents unable to work, losing wages, and facing increased housing insecurity, the Board is expected to vote in the coming weeks on protections that would prevent families from being pushed out of their homes. The proposed moratoria reflects a strong local intervention – one rooted in coordinated organizing between tenant unions, immigrant justice advocates, and local officials. 

Across the region, local elected officials are also taking other actions: in Fullerton and Santa Ana, CA, city leaders are moving to create and bolster aid funds that provide direct financial assistance and other vital aid for tenants impacted by raids.

🛡️ How Localities Are Countering Federal Deployments

Federal enforcement violence continues to intensify – with ICE agents routinely engaging in violent raids, smashing car windows, firing weapons, threatening local elected officials, and expanding surveillance technology to track immigrants. ICE’s ongoing recruitment blitz signals that these tactics are not temporary. These actions mirror broader federal deployment we’ve seen since June 2025, when the Trump Administration began sending federal agents into cities. Their purpose is consistent: to consolidate federal control and constrain local authority.

Localities continue to fight back. In the past month, local electeds have: 

• Blocked federal agents from using city property to arrest immigrants without a warrant (Aurora and Carpentersville); 
• Moved to terminate city ALPR contracts (Cambridge), 
• Unanimous opposed entering into 287(g) agreements (Dallas); 
• Created new protocols to respond to and document ICE encounters (Evanston).

To support members governing under these conditions, we’ve updated and reissued our Protecting Your Community During Federal Deployments bulletin. This expanded resource reflects new facts and learnings from members who’ve organized, governed, and protected their residents under extreme federal coercion.

This policy bulletin includes:

• Concrete steps to prepare for and govern through a deployment;
• Guidance for protecting students, protestors, and vulnerable communities;
• Oversight strategies to maintain local control over law enforcement;
• Policy actions to disentangle municipal systems and resources from federal operations.

🏫 Defending Inclusive Public Education After Mahmoud v. Taylor 

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor that endangers students’ access to inclusive public education. This new resource from the National Women’s Law Center breaks down the decision—what it does and doesn’t do—to help school board members, students, parents, staff, and advocates push back against attempts to misuse the decision to justify censorship or undermine students’ rights. This resource includes clear explanations and talking points on why schools should not inappropriately expand the decision to enact harmful policies and how doing so would undermine schools’ legal and ethical obligations.

📬 Standing with Postal Workers to Protect the Postal Service

This year is the 250th Anniversary of the first US post office, and the American Postal Workers Union’s US Mail Not for Sale campaign is organizing support for the public Postal Service in the face of the billionaire-led efforts to privatize the Postal Service. Such a move would raise prices, lead to service cuts, and threaten affordable mail and package services at one affordable price for everyone regardless of where they live. Through the rest of this anniversary year, APWU is encouraging members and local and state government entities to pass and promote “Proclamations” recognizing this Anniversary milestone, the significance of the U.S. Postal Service to the people, and oppose dismantling of the Post Office. 

Check out the resources here for how to pass a proclamation or to get connected to your local Postal Workers Union. 

⚖️ Help Map Preemption Threats: Nationwide Survey for Local Attorneys

State preemption attacks are increasing and disproportionately harming cities and counties. Our partners at the Local Solutions Support Center are conducting a national survey of city and county attorneys to better understand these challenges and to develop strategies for coordinated pushback.

→ Please share this survey with your city or county attorney.

Photo credit: Voice of OC